The BSCF Constitution

BRITISH SIKH CONSULTATIVE FORUM

Constitution

1. Name

The name of the association constituted of autonomous organisations shall be the British Sikh Consultative Forum hereafter referred to as BSCF

Mission statement

To promote consensus and cohesion within the Sikh community, to promote awareness/ understanding of Sikh Dharam and the pluralistic approach of Sikh Dharam in the wider communities globally.

2. Aims and Objectives

The BSCF shall hold the following as its aims and objectives:

To establish a forum for discussion of and build consensus on common issues concerning Sikhs in UK

To interface between British Sikhs and other communities as well as State Institutions ) in the UK and EU

To (work towards) work towards cohesion within the Sikh community and offer a forum for discussion and resolution of issues within (it+ ms)

3. Statement of Intent

The constitution, regulations, management and conduct of the BSCF shall abide by all policies made by the BSCF constitutional committee (see section 5 below) and shall be bound by the BSCF Constitution and Regulations.

The Constitution is an operational document for the working practices and management of the BSCF

all members of the BSCF shall remain autonomous and not be forced to accept or be represented by decisions inconsistent with their own views.

The BSCF shall run an Equal Opportunities Forum Policy (contentious)

4. Membership

There shall be two forms of membership, full membership and co-opted membership.

The following shall be eligible to become members of the BSCF:

Full paid membership

UK based Sikh organisations functioning at local, regional and national level with a valid constitution, track record of achievement and positive contribution to the overall interests of the Sikhs.

affiliate membership

Co-opted membership

Any Sikh individual deemed by the constitutional committee to nave made and be able to make a valuable contribution to the functions of the BSCF shall be a co-opted member.

5. BSCF Constitutional Committee (contentious)

The committee shall consist of the following members:

Trustees

Directors

5 Members of the BSCF Management Committee holding the following position

Chairperson

General Secretary

Secretary

Treasurer

Liaison Officer

5.1 Trustees

The founding Trustees shall appoint the first management committee after consensus with the first members of the Forum and shall resign after the first Constitutional committee has appointed the first trustees.

There shall be a maximum of 5 Trustees unless increased by procedure vi below. (maximum of 5)

Appointments of Trustees shall be permanent.

(constituent committee : three trustees and chairperson and general secretary or all trustees + chairperson –general secretary)

In the event of a position (becoming vacant in the trustees, Trustee resigning, the vacancy shall be filled by the Constituent Committee by unanimous decision)

All trustees shall be Amritdhari Sikhs of sound character. Any trustee who gives up Amrit or violates he Constitution shall resign. If the Trustee does not resign the management committee can recommend the trustee’s dismissal to the members committee who shall decide by a 75% vote.

5.2 Functions of Trustees

(to ensure that the decisions and deliberations are consistent with sikh principles)

The Trustees shall ensure the Constitution is adhered to by the members of the BSCF.

The trustees shall ensure that decisions and deliberations are consistent with Sikh principles

There shall be at least one Trustee at each of the meetings of the members of the BSCF

The Trustees shall not interfere in the deliberations of the BSCF except in carrying out their constitutional responsibility.

The Trustees shall be responsible for the proper functioning of the BSCF

The Trustees shall be responsible for submitting annual reports to the Charities Commission.

A trustee must resign from the trusteeship if he or she becomes a member of the Management Committee

5.3 Violations of the Constitution

A Trustee may raise any matter which he or she deems to have violated the constitution of the BSCF.
Any such matter shall only actually deemed to be unconstitutional if at least 60% of the Trustees consider it to be so.

If a matter is deemed to be unconstitutional, then all deliberations concerning such a matter shall be deemed to be inadmissible

5.4 Directors and appointment of Directors

i. There shall be a Director of each of the following fields

Faith issues

Education

Government interface development

Legal affairs and public policy

Medical ethics

Social and welfare issues

Public relations and communications

Youth

Administrative and constitutional affairs

ii. The number of Directors and fields may be increased by the Constitutional Committee by a 80% majority.

iii. The Directors shall be nominated by the Trustees and approved by the Constitutional committee by a majority of 80%.

iv. The Directors shall have qualification, competence, experience and background of the field appointed for

v. The Directors shall be appointed for at least a term of 5 years. The term may be extended by decision of the constitution committee.

vi The Directors shall not have any voting rights.

5.5 Functions of Directors

i. The Directors shall act as the experts in their field and shall lead matters in their field of appointment in all meetings and deliberations and submit regular reports to the Management Committee.

ii. The Director shall have the freedom to appoint subordinates and employ staff with approval of the Constitutional committee.

iii. Funds shall be allocated to the Director to pursue work in the appointed field.

5.6 Schedules

i. The Constitutional Committee shall form a set of membership schedules which shall form the criteria in which Gurdwaras, organisations, individuals shall fit in.

6. BSCF Management Committee

There shall at least be the following positions within the committee who shall all be Amritdharis of sound character :

Chairperson

General Secretary

Secretary

Treasurer

Liaison Officer

Other positions may be added by 80% decision of the BSCF Constitutional Committee (see section 5 above).or unanimous decision of the trustees. They must be Sikhs of sound character.

6.1 Appointments to the Management Committee.

The positions of the Chairperson and General Secretary shall be on a rotation basis of a period of at least 12 months.

There shall be a pool of organisations selected by the Trustees to fulfil each of the rotation positions.

This pool shall be based on the following criteria:

The pool of organisations to fill the Chairperson’s position shall be from Gurdwara based institutions as listed in the first schedule.

Each organisation shall be national in character or of national significance for the Sikhs in the United Kingdom.

The pool of organisations for the General Secretary shall be from non-Gurdwara based organisations with a primarily national function and shall be as listed in the second schedule.

The rotation of the positions shall be decided by consensus among the members of the pool. In the absence of a consensus, the Trustees shall decide after consultation with the members of the pool. In such an instance the decision of the Trustees shall be final.

The other positions shall be filled from a voluntary list of members as listed in schedule 3 and the positions shall be selected by the Chairperson, General Secretary and the Trustees for a maximum period of 2 years at a time.

Honorary non-voting positions may be created for longer periods for individuals of exceptional qualities and contribution to the Sikhs. Such positions shall be created and filled following nomination by the Trustees and approval by 60% of the Constitutional Committee.

Honorary non-voting advisors may be appointed for a term of two years by the Representative Committee by simple majority.

6.2 Staff

The Representative Committee may appoint paid and voluntary
staff according to rules established by the first committee. Such rules may be amended by simple majority of the committee but should comply with statutory rules of employment.

7. Members

7.1 OrganisationMembers

All member organisations must fulfil the following criteria:

Be a Sikh organisation.

Have a working constitution

Have a set of records to prove that the organisation has been functioning for at least two years.

Shall be considered by the Trustees to be making a significant contribution to the Sikhs and advancing the interests of the BSCF.

Shall have played a positive role in the Sikh community.

Representatives of Organisations must be of sound character.

7.2 Individual Members

All individuals admitted as members must fulfil the following criteria:

Shall be a Sikh of sound character.

Shall have made significant or positive contribution to the Sikh community

Shall be approved by the Constitutional committee.

7.3 New Organisations

A newly formed organisation or an organisation with less than 2 years of existence can be admitted to the BSCF provided it fulfils all the following criteria:

The organisation is a Sikh organisations

The organisation has a fairly large representative base

The organisation plays a positive role in or makes a significant contribution in the Sikh community.

The organisation has a constitution

The organisation is approved by the Constitutional committee.

The organisation is listed in a schedule having been approved by the Constitutional Committee by a decision of 80%.

The organisation’s membership shall be reviewed each year for the first two years of membership by the Constitutional Committee following which its membership shall be considered as permanent.

8. Removal of Organisations or Individuals

An organisation can be removed from membership if 80% of the Trustees consider that its continuing membership is detrimental to the function of the BSCF and harmonious working of the existing members.

Such an organisation may appeal to the Constitutional committee in the first instance.

If such an appeal is unsuccessful, the organisation may appeal to the existing membership in a general body meeting, wherein a decision reached by 80% majority shall be needed to approve its re-instatement.

9. Working Procedures of the BSCF

The BSCF shall hold at least two meetings every year one of which shall be the general body meeting.

If 3 national members and any 5 members call for a meeting, such meeting shall be called after approval by 60% of the Trustees.

If 60% of the trustees decide to call a meeting of the membership.

9.1 Decisions in Meetings

A decision shall be deemed to have been taken by the BSCF on the basis of the Sikh principle of sarab samati unless otherwise prescribed under the constitution.

In the absence of Sarab samti after two trials a 80% majority verdict will be accepted.

The day to day working procedures of the BSCF shall be developed by the above decision making process.

9.2 Representation of BSCF

An organisation or individual may only represent the view of the BSCF if such a view has been reached according to the decision making procedures set out in section 9.1.

All organisations shall be free to pursue their own work independently except on matters agreed according to procedure set out in section 9.

10. Functions of Office Bearers

The functions and responsibilities of the various positions shall be decided by the Constitutional committee.

11. Annual Accounts

Annual accounts shall be prepared by the Treasurer and approved by the Trustees after independent audit.

12. Annual Report

The Chairperson or the General Secretary shall give an annual report to the General Body and the Trustees.

13. Changes in the Constitution

The Constitution may be amended by approval of the 80% of existing members and 80% of the Constitution Committee

The above constitution of the BSCF has been approved by the first board of Trustees.